OT: Since there is no off topic board, I figured I post this here.

[baltimoreO's22]

Can someone explain the reason for the 500 post rule? I love the Orioles and would love to be able to regularly discuss baseball with you guys, but this 500 post rule makes it impossible for me to do so. I do not have the means to pay for a plus membership, therefore limiting my ability to post. Because of this rule, I just choose to stay out of most discussions because I have to watch my post count, which is disappointing to me because this is by far the best place for Orioles discussion and news. If someone could explain the logic behind that rule it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

[Satyr3206]

Can someone explain the reason for the 500 post rule? I love the Orioles and would love to be able to regularly discuss baseball with you guys, but this 500 post rule makes it impossible for me to do so. I do not have the means to pay for a plus membership, therefore limiting my ability to post. Because of this rule, I just choose to stay out of most discussions because I have to watch my post count, which is disappointing to me because this is by far the best place for Orioles discussion and news. If someone could explain the logic behind that rule it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Websites, like any other business, can't operate without cashflow. I know from a little research I did that Servers aren't cheap. Not to mention all the donuts the employees eat.

[Tony-OH]

Can someone explain the reason for the 500 post rule? I love the Orioles and would love to be able to regularly discuss baseball with you guys, but this 500 post rule makes it impossible for me to do so. I do not have the means to pay for a plus membership, therefore limiting my ability to post. Because of this rule, I just choose to stay out of most discussions because I have to watch my post count, which is disappointing to me because this is by far the best place for Orioles discussion and news. If someone could explain the logic behind that rule it would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

First off, let me move this to the easily found "off topic" forum called, "Hangout help and feedback."

Secondly, we charge for many reasons, including the already mentioned server and IT costs as well as the costs to produce content, but also because it ensures that the people who stay in this community want to be in this community. Trolls won't pay to post on a message board. Either way, there are many free message boards out there. The Hangout is not for everyone unfortunately and we're sorry if your financial situation does not allow you to be a member here. If you are a young student or have some sort of extenuating circumstance that makes paying impossible, then you can contact me and I'll see what we can do.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Plus membership is what, 10 cents a day? If you can't afford that I'm not sure how you can afford a computer.

[Tony-OH]

Plus membership is what, 10 cents a day? If you can't afford that I'm not sure how you can afford a computer.

Yap, same cost as a daily trip through the Gov William J. Le Petomane Thruway. (Let's see who gets that without google)

[Spoonless]

Plus membership is what, 10 cents a day? If you can't afford that I'm not sure how you can afford a computer.

Man, sometimes you just don't have the money. Computers have a great amount of utility and are necessary for some jobs. A membership to a forum is not a necessity, it's a luxury.

Look, I understand why the membership fee is there, and I don't have a problem with it, but to make an offhand comment like that because someone might not be in the position to spend an additional $36 a year on a luxury really really rubs me the wrong way. And maybe he can't afford a computer. I browsed at home on a Windows 2000 machine I built in 2002 up until this past year. Sometimes peoples' situations change and they are already in possession of a computer before they can no longer afford such a cost. Maybe you've never been in a situation where money is that tight that you couldn't afford something like this, but many people are, and I resent how flippant your comment comes across as.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Man, sometimes you just don't have the money. Computers have a great amount of utility and are necessary for some jobs. A membership to a forum is not a necessity, it's a luxury.

Look, I understand why the membership fee is there, and I don't have a problem with it, but to make an offhand comment like that because someone might not be in the position to spend an additional $36 a year on a luxury really really rubs me the wrong way. And maybe he can't afford a computer. I browsed at home on a Windows 2000 machine I built in 2002 up until this past year. Sometimes peoples' situations change and they are already in possession of a computer before they can no longer afford such a cost. Maybe you've never been in a situation where money is that tight that you couldn't afford something like this, but many people are, and I resent how flippant your comment comes across as.

Great, resent it all you want, I really don't care. I've been in college, I know what it's like to be broke but we are talking about $30 a year here. Even when I was at my absolute poorest that small amount of $ wouldn't have been a huge issue. Hell, even in high school when I worked as a freaking bag boy at Safeway that sort of sum wouldn't have seemed unreasonable.

Again, if you perceive $30 a year to be too large a sum to afford you probably have bigger issues than not being able to post on a message board.

[Spoonless]

Clearly college and high school are times when one typically has the same level of responsibility as later in life.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Clearly college and high school are times when one typically has the same level of responsibility as later in life.

Clearly you miss my point.

[TonySoprano]

Yap, same cost as a daily trip through the Gov William J. Le Petomane Thruway. (Let's see who gets that without google)

We have to go back and get a s-load of dimes to pay for this site.

[Tony-OH]

We have to go back and get a s-load of dimes to pay for this site.

On the mark! One of the best movies evah!

[CA-ORIOLE]

Great, resent it all you want, I really don't care. I've been in college, I know what it's like to be broke but we are talking about $30 a year here. Even when I was at my absolute poorest that small amount of $ wouldn't have been a huge issue. Hell, even in high school when I worked as a freaking bag boy at Safeway that sort of sum wouldn't have seemed unreasonable.

Again, if you perceive $30 a year to be too large a sum to afford you probably have bigger issues than not being able to post on a message board.

Yeah, at the risk of sounding flippant myself, I agree with you. It's a matter of priorities and 30 bucks a year isn't really very much for entertainment. Even the poorest of the poor set some money aside for recreation and quite frankly posting on here is pretty cheap if compared to other forms of recreation. Assuming good health, a trip or two to the blood plasma center and you're good to go. Been there and done that myself many times in my poor college days.

[baltimoreO's22]

My apologies for missing the off topic forum, I was posting from my phone and didn't scroll down. Thanks for clearing up the reason for the charge.

In response to Pedro Cerrano I am a full time college student and was offered an internship, which doesn't pay, and I accepted because it will allow me to get a higher paying job in the future. Because of that choice I am limited in my expenses and cannot afford luxuries such as this. With that being said, I feel that was a pretty disrespectful comment, and if that is the only type of response you have then why even post anything? I don't see the necessity in that comment, but if that makes you feel better to belittle others then more power to you.

Tony, I was always under the impression that this site was an affiliate of the Orioles, and figured that they were backing the site. If not then the charge is completely understandable, being an IT student I understand the costs associated with running a site. Thanks again for taking time to respond to my question.

[Pedro Cerrano]

Man people are sensitive!

I wasn't trying to belittle you, I was just speaking generally. When I picture someone who can't afford $30 for a year's worth of membership, like really can't afford it, then I picture someone who has much bigger problems than not being able to post here.

I don't know you at all, but I would imagine you'd be able to come up with the scratch if you really wanted to. Same with Spoonless. Budgeting $30 into a yearly budget can't be that hard.

[Pedro Cerrano]

My apologies for missing the off topic forum, I was posting from my phone and didn't scroll down. Thanks for clearing up the reason for the charge.

In response to Pedro Cerrano I am a full time college student and was offered an internship, which doesn't pay, and I accepted because it will allow me to get a higher paying job in the future. Because of that choice I am limited in my expenses and cannot afford luxuries such as this. With that being said, I feel that was a pretty disrespectful comment, and if that is the only type of response you have then why even post anything? I don't see the necessity in that comment, but if that makes you feel better to belittle others then more power to you.

Tony, I was always under the impression that this site was an affiliate of the Orioles, and figured that they were backing the site. If not then the charge is completely understandable, being an IT student I understand the costs associated with running a site. Thanks again for taking time to respond to my question.

You have a phone capable of connecting to the internet but can't afford $30 a year for this.

Got it. Moving on.....